Book review: Muscles Make Us Move

Title:  Muscles Make Us Move

Written by: Bill Kirk

Illustrated by:  Eugene Ruble

Soft cover: 31 pages

Ages:   8-13

Publisher:    Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc.

Print ISBN 13 978-1-:616331-134-4; 1616331348

eBook ISBN 13:  978-1-61633-135-1; 616331356

Published:     July 2011

Print Price:    $11.95

                                                                               eBook Price: $5.00

ATTENTION all teachers, parents and students!!

Author Bill Kirk has added another amazing rhyming non-fiction book to his The Sum of Our Parts Series in Guardian Angel Publishing’s Academic Wings,  Muscles Make Us Move!! Like his books about bones and the circulatory system, this book uses easy to memorize fun rhymes to name the major muscle groups and their job in our bodies.

Two names of leg muscles,

Just might make you laugh,

Gastrocnemius and soleus

Are found in the “calf.”

In addition, you will find a valuable teaching and learning aid on every page, a factoid. These are every teacher’s dream because they’re jam packed with vital information in a simple and interesting format.

Factoid

Smooth muscle is also called INVOLUNTARY muscle because the brain tells those muscles what to do without your even knowing about it.

 

Eugene Ruble’s detailed and amusing illustrations add to the value of this book. The full body muscular drawings with over a hundred muscles displayed provide extension learning possibilities for students.

The glossary provides a quick and easy way to identify the muscles highlighted in the book. As a retired teacher, I would highly recommend Muscles Make Us Move for every classroom, school and personal library. I wish I had this book when I was studying anatomy and physiology in college. It’s simple enough for young students and interesting enough for adults to enjoy for years to come.

So remember…

And when brushing your teeth,

After eating dessert,

Buccinators in your cheeks

Make water go “squirt”.

Reviewer: Kathy Stemke

http://educationtipster.blogspot.com

http://shshshletthebabysleep.blogspot.com

Moving Through all Seven Days link:http://www.lulu.com/content/e-book/moving-through-all-seven-days/7386965# http://www.helium.com/users/406242.html http://www.associatedcontent.com/user/237923/Kathy_stemke_dancekam.html
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C is for Children's books! CRASH & CIRCULATION CELEBRATION

CRASH! Now in Spanish too!
Author: Mayra Calvani www.MayrasSecretBookcase.com
Artist: Anna Pylypchuk
Marcelo is thrilled when he gets a golden retriever puppy for his birthday, but now he faces one of the toughest jobs of his life, not only because owning a pet is a huge responsibility, but because he has to find the perfect name for it—and that’s hard!






THE AUTHOR IS DONATING 50% OF HER ROYALTIES TO:  ALMOST HEAVEN GOLDEN RETRIEVER RESCUE AND SANCTUARY, A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION.  
ALMOST HEAVEN-GOLDEN-RETRIEVER-RESCUE.ORG

Circulation Celebration!
Author: Bill Kirk www.billkirkwrites.com
Artist: Eugene Ruble
The circulation system is not something you can easily get your hands on. So, learning about all the blood vessels and how the heart keeps the blood moving through your entire body, twenty-four hours a day isn’t the easiest thing in the world.This rhyming book full of factoids and games, is here to help.



KATHY STEMKE'S WEBSITES:
Moving Through all Seven Days link:http://www.lulu.com/content/e-book/moving-through-all-seven-days/7386965# http://www.helium.com/users/406242.html http://www.associatedcontent.com/user/237923/Kathy_stemke_dancekam.html
Follow me on twitter: http://twitter.com/kathystemke
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I Won the Awesomous Maximus Award!

Awesomous Maximus Award:
I'd like to thank Susanne Drazic for this adorable award.
Visit her blog:http://susannedrazic.blogspot.com/

Now I'd like to pass the Awesomous Maximus Award on to the following people (click on the names to go to their blogs):
Mayra Calavani
Nancy C. Lepri
Crystalee Calderwood
Katie Hines
Bill Kirk

Kathy's websites:
Moving Through all Seven Days link:http://www.lulu.com/content/e-book/moving-through-all-seven-days/7386965#http://www.helium.com/users/406242.htmlhttp://www.associatedcontent.com/user/237923/Kathy_stemke_dancekam.htmlhttp://kathystemke.weebly.comFollow me on twitter: http://twitter.com/kathystemkeFollow me on Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=6147172660&topic=4910#!/kathymarescomatthews.stemke?ref=profile

Selecting Great Non-fiction Books for Kids

Giving children many sources of informational books will stimulate growth in general knowledege, vocabulary, and reading comprehension skills. It is essential that we choose challenging, quality, high-interest books for young children. Many reading experts agree that including non-fiction books in primary education experiences will make for a smoother transition into middle and high school level reading. There are several keys to picking great informational books for your children.

CATCHY COVERS

The cover of a book must invite the reader to come inside an exciting new world of learning. A good cover should include brightn and intriguing illustrations or photographs that grab a child's attention. The title needs to be short and understandable with large clear font. But the main job of the title is to ignite interest in the topic.

TERRIFIC TOPICS

The topic should be age appropriate and relevant to the child's world view. For example, you might have a funny bumble bee teach children about flowers. However, it is important that the information is accurate and backed by reliable referrences. To hold the attention of children the topic should have an element of mystery and be full of surprises. In fact, there should be at least one surprise on every page.

INTRIGUING ILLUSTRATIONS

Each page needs to contain a balance of beautiful illustrations with clear, easy to read captions, and informational text. The illustrations should explain and enhance the factual information. For instance, photographs or diagrams on a light background can add a pleasing contrast to a good book.

ORIGINAL ORGANIZATION

Many good non-fiction authors use sub headings to help the young reader understand and retain the information. These subdivisions guide the children effortlessly through the information like a treasure map leads you to a pirates chest. A table of contents, glossary and index will help them browse through unique topics. Fonts should be large, consistent in spacing and placement and easy to read.

With today's wide selection of non-fiction books available it doesn't have to be difficult to pick the right books for your children. Inspect each book for the four key ingredients listed above and you will glide through the selection process.

A LIST OF GREAT NON-FICTION BOOKS:

Family Pictures / Cuadros de Familia
by Carmen Lomas Garza
Children's Book Press, 1993
Grades pre K-4

Author: A True Story
by Helen Lester
Houghton Mifflin, 1997
Grades K-4

In a Circle Long Ago: A Treasury of Native Lore from North America
by Nancy Van Laan, illustrated by Lisa Desimini
Knopf, 1995
Grades K-5

Eric Carle's Animals, Animals
By Laura Whipple (compiler), illustrated by Eric Carle
Puffin, 1999
Grades pre K-6

Hottest Coldest Highest Deepest
by Steve Jenkins
Houghton Mifflin, 1998
Grades pre K-3

Children of the Wild West
by Russell Freedman
Clarion, 1990
Grades 3-8

We Were There, Too!: Young People in U.S. History
by Phillip M. Hoose
Farrar Straus & Giroux, 2001
Grades 5-12

NO BONES ABOUT IT!
The Sum of Our Parts Series
Academic Wings
Author: Bill Kirk www.billkirkwrites.com
Artist: Eugene Ruble
Guardian Angel Publishers
http://www.guardianangelpublishing.com/


Kathy Stemke's websites:
Moving Through all Seven Days link:http://www.lulu.com/content/e-book/moving-through-all-seven-days/7386965#http://www.helium.com/users/406242.html
http://www.associatedcontent.com/user/237923/Kathy_stemke_dancekam.html
http://kathystemke.weebly.com